The Other Side

Chapter 48

Shiori is the Key

It took mere hours for them to convince Shiori's father to allow Shiori to come with them, seconds to get back to castle via Zhou-Mao's portal, and two hours to convince Sesshomaru that Shiori wasn't going to hurt his mate.

Sesshomaru was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking over Kagome. Inuyasha was standing behind Shiori with Kenichi standing off to the side. Sango had gone to check up on Shippo and Rin when she noticed that they weren't around. Miroku stayed near the door while InuKimi watched on with worried eyes.

Draicia and Zhou-Mao were on the right side of where Kagome was resting, looks of displeasure on their faces. They didn't like seeing their lady like this, especially so soon after the last time.

Shiori smiled down softly to Kagome as she rolled Kagome on her back. Trying to ignore the growl that came from Sesshomaru when his mate groaned in pain, Shiori noticed at the dried blood as well as fresh blood. Obviously something just reopened. "I would like all... males to leave please," she said gently while not looking at anyone but Kagome.

"Look, Shiori," Inuyasha began. "We all would like to be here when Kagome wakes up and if you can do this, then we're staying."

She shook her head. "You don't seem to understand. I have been given specific orders and that means that all males are to leave."

"No," Sesshomaru ordered, glaring at the small white-haired woman.

Shiori bit her lip. "Please," she pleaded. "You're wasting time by fighting with me on this."

Zhou-Mao furrowed his brows on the petite woman as he looked over her entirely and paled. The Shiori from the future was staring back at him; she was transparent and it didn't seem like she was being seen by anyone other than him. "All right everyone, out. We'll only be outside the door if anything happens—that means you too, Sesshomaru."

"How dare you order me in my own room."

The God of Time sighed and waved his hand, freezing everyone in the room. "Draicia, pile everyone out but InuKimi and yourself." She nodded and moved fast to place the bodies, one by one, outside the door. Zhou-Mao snapped his fingers as he shut the door and sealed it shut so that Shiori wouldn't be interrupted.

InuKimi gasped when she could move again and looked around confused. Where did everyone go? "All right Shiori, you have the floor. Work quickly, Zhou-Mao has separated Sesshomaru from his mate and he is not pleased," Draicia told her as InuKimi did a double take.

Shiori nodded but then suddenly there were two Shioris in the room, causing both other women to stare openly at this. "You don't need to worry about this, I will be gone very soon—hopefully before Inuyasha does something stupid...like go after me," the other Shiori said as she rounded the bed and crawled into the bed with Kagome.

She quickly focused her work on Kagome's back, her hands glowing white, healing every cut, slash, bruise. "How is it you were able to heal Kagome whereas Saiyu was not?" Draicia asked.

The woman didn't answer right away as she removed the top half of Kagome's kimono. She pushed it to the side as she placed her right hand on the bond mark on the right side of her neck and her left hand on the mating mark on her left side. Her hands hadn't stopped glowing as she pushed hard enough down on the marks, making Kagome gasp loudly then struggle against her. "I have more experience with Kagome than all of you do and in the future she explains everything to me about how and what to do if she were to not wake up after a few days. Granted it's only been a few hours but it's practically the same thing."

Kagome opened her eyes, gasping for air while looking into the eyes of the Shiori she knew in the future. She turned her head to see another of the same woman; this one was younger then to InuKimi, then to Draicia. Regardless, all of them seemed to be relieved that she was awake. "Oh, milady, it is so good to see you," Draicia said while bowing to her. Kagome went to say something but then older Shiori shook her head.

"Hush Kagome." She pushed harder down on the bond mark as Kagome hissed in pain. She let out a silent scream and thrashed around on the bed as Saiyu appeared by her side. Both Shioris were shocked at this but one of them said, "You are a male, you must leave."

Saiyu didn't seem to hear her and moved the hand that was on the mating mark off her shoulder. "You are not only hurting milady but her mate at the same time that you do this. This is not the wisest method," he told her.

"I know what I'm doing. Kagome told me what to do."

"Yes, I am sure that milady told you what to do correctly but you are hurting both partners. By simply touching the mark, you are alerting her mate that someone is fiddling with it. I would not be surprised if her mate managed to break down the door." Saiyu then moved Shiori completely away from Kagome. "You are also hurting her, you realize and for that, I must put this to a stop." He placed his hand on Kagome's throat, his hand glowing a light blue before Kagome started coughing; noise echoed throughout the room.

"Shiori," Kagome started to say. "What's going on?"

"You in the future told me about what happens with the battle with the hell god. He used someone to whip you as well as stab you with a sword. You told me what I had to do in order to heal you and it involved your marks that you have," she said, narrowing her eyes on the male. "You also said to not allow males into the room."

"He is my element though."

"Yes but he is male."

"I don't understand."

Shiori sighed then squeaked as her mate actually came after her. "No! You were not supposed to follow me!"

"Kagome said you were taking too long, so she threw me into the mix." Inuyasha turned to Kagome and blushed. Kagome flushed herself when she noticed that her upped half was showing. She closed it by holding it together with her hand. He turned away from her as he said, "Kagome said that you hit the wrong point when waking her up. Hell, other Kagome felt the pain you inflicted. She said that weren't supposed to touch the mating mark."

"B-But she specifically said that I was to touch the mark that held her elements as well as the one the indicated Sesshomaru!"

Inuyasha smacked his hand to his face. "That's her bond mark! Her bond mark is a ten pointed star; nine elements plus Sesshomaru, to show that he is her mate—and I thought I had issues with listening!"

Shiori paled at hearing this then turned to Kagome. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" She turned back to Inuyasha. "I haven't hurt her have I?" Her mate looked at her then bit his lip. "Have I?"

"Um...I want to say no—but, I'm not sure. All I know is that if we don't leave right now—" He was cut off by a door exploding. He protected his mate by shielding her with himself.

Saiyu shielded his lady with a barrier since he was the closest one to her. Draicia and InuKimi gaped at the door—or better yet, the huge whole in the wall that revealed everyone on the other side.

Sesshomaru stood there, half-transformed; eyes red as he took in everyone that was in the room with his mate. The moment his eyes landed on her though; both deflated him and enraged him further. While she was looking like she was fine now, she was holding her mating mark and holding her clothes up by her hand. There was a small barrier around her as a male that he had never seen, was next to her. He growled as the man turned to him with wide eyes.

"Milady?" he asked as Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes on him. The male took his eyes off the demon and glanced to Kagome with a silent question. Kagome shook her head like she understood then nodded to him. The man vanished after that.

Inuyasha and Shiori turned their heads between Sesshomaru then to Kagome. "Babe, we should probably go," Inuyasha whispered to his mate but flinched when Sesshomaru finally saw them. "Babe, babe, babe," he chanted. "We gotta go."

"Oh god, there's two Inuyashas now?!" Future Inuyasha heard himself whine. "Like one wasn't enough!"

"Shiori, we gotta go! Kagome's gonna have our heads!" And then a portal opened up behind them. Inuyasha grabbed his mate around the waist and looked to Kagome. "Get well soon, Gome! See ya later!" They too then vanished.

Kagome blinked, then more rapidly before asking, "What just happened?"

Zhou-Mao hesitantly walked over to his second-in-command. "Christ, what the hell happened? The moment that I shut out the males, Sesshomaru goes to the point of absolute rage. He got so angry," he said as Kagome gasped.

"Shiori touched my mating mark while her hands were glowing," she replied as Sesshomaru snarled at that before going over to her side.

"This Shiori?" Zhou-Mao pointed to the still-in-shock woman, sitting in a chair. It looked like she never even moved. Kagome shook her head. "The one that was with Inuyasha before they left?" She nodded. "How much trouble are you going to get into, woman?"

She nervously laughed as Sesshomaru nudged her head. She leaned against him in response. "I don't know—you tell me, you're the one that knows all of time," she breathed as Sesshomaru touched the mating mark with his lips, not caring about the people in the room.

"Yeah, about that..." Kagome stared at him with a tilt of her head while giving Sesshomaru more access to her neck. Zhou-Mao looked put off at their display which only made Kagome slowly start to grin at his discomfort. "Up until the battle with the hell god—I knew everything that was going to happen to you. Unfortunately for now, I do not; had I known that your mate was going to make love to you neck, I would have left before it started."

Inuyasha barked with laughter. Sango, having returned from checking on the children, turned in another direction to avoid watching while Miroku eyed them with mirth. InuKimi and Kenichi shared a look—both looking rather pleased with this outcome. Shiori stared, not all that sure if she should say anything or not. Draicia merely smirked.

Kagome let that sink in, her grin becoming wider as she thought about it. "So from here on out, we don't know what's going to happen?" Zhou-Mao nodded. "Finally!"

Practically everyone rolled their eyes at her as Sesshomaru chuckled against her skin making her shiver. "Okay, I am totally and completely disgusted with this," he said, tearing his eyes away from the couple. "Please don't call upon me if you can help it." He disappeared as Kagome laughed.

"Well then milady," Draicia spoke as eyes turned to her. "It has been interesting in the last few hours. If you ever need me, do not hesitate. All of your elements are on call if you ever need any of us. Have a good night milady." She bowed and then vanished.

Kagome leaned back against her mate. "Well, from here on out, we look forward to our future and considering I've gotten a glimpse of it, I can't wait for it."

Reviews are welcomed.